Rotary reactor



ay 2, i944. P. H. KARLssoNv ETAL ROTARY REACTORS Filed July 4 `1942 2 Sheets-Sheet l P. H. KARLssON ET AL. 2,347,829

ROTARY REACTORS Filed July 4, 1942 g sheets-Sheet 2 WIPO All

N O MM5 mmm Mw. Y B

Patented May 2, 1944 AUNITED STATES PATENT orifice ROTARY BEACTOR Per Hilmer Karlsson and William D. Yen-ick, Wellsviile, N. Y., alsignors to The Air Preheater Corporation, New York, N. Y.

Application July 4, 1942, Serial No. 449,760 Claims. (Ci. 23-288l The present invention relates to chemical reactors in which vapors or fluids are brought into contact with a reactant material to eif'ect a chemical reaction. Y

Chemical reactors of the type to which the present invention is directed embody a rotor dlvided into a plurality of compartments each containing reactant material through or over which various gaseous fluids are circulated in succession as the rotor turns. Such a reactor may be employed in the treatment of hydrocarbon gases in a reducing process in which hydrocarbon vapors are brought into contact with a catalyst, such as a mass of fullers earth. which is then contacted by 'air to burn oil the residual carbon and is then purged by circulating steam therethrough. The invention is particularly directed to an improved means for establishing fluid communication between the moving compartments of the rotor and a series of stationary conduits for supplying fluids that are utilized in the reaction.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a sectional view of a chemical reactor of rotary form embodying the present invention;

'Figure 2 ls a sectional view on the line 2-2 in Fig. 1;

Figure 3 is-a sectional elevation of a reactor of modified construction; 4

Figure i is a sectional view on the line 4 5 in Fig. 5; and

Figure 5 is an enlarged sectional view illustrating a modified constructional detail for the reactor shown in Figs. 3 and 4.

The reactor comprises .a closed stationary housing having a spherical central portion I2 provided at opposite ends with dlametrically located bonnets I4 and i6 of cylindrical shape. The bonnets I4 and I6 are formed with hollow annular manifolds I8 and 2l) interially divided by partitions 22, 2d and 26 forming separate manifold chambers 28, 30 and 32 'to which the hydrocarbon vapor, air for oxidizing the catalyst .and steam for purging it are admitted through the pipe connections 34, 36 and 38 respectively. In the forrr` shown the lower manifold 20 rests on beams 40 mounted on the base or other support l2 to support the housing.

Enclosed within the housing is a rotor consisting of a spherical body portion 50 having dlametrically opposite cylindrical extensions 52 and 54 that are of reduced diameter and fit within the bonnets Il, I6, respectively, of the housing. The upper cylindrical portion 52 of the rotor is -provided witha trunnion 56-Jour nailed in the cover I5 for the upper bonnet I4 of the housing while the lower cylindrical portion 54 of the rotor has a trunnion 58 projecting through the bottom ofthe lower bonnet I6 and connected through reduction gearing-60 to a driving shaft 62 by means of which the' spherical rotor body with its cylindrical extensions may be turned slowly within the stationary housing. The interior of the spherical housing 50 and also of its cylindrical extensions 52,' 54 are subdivided by radially extending partitions 63 (Fig. 2) subdividing the interior of the rotor into a plurality of sector shaped compartments which are filled with fuller's earth or other catalytic material v supported on a reticulated grid 65 located near the bottom of the spherical portion of the rotor. The side walls of the cylindrical portions 62 and 5t of the rotor are formed with a plurality of openings 66 forming ports by means of which each individual compartment may be placed in communication with the chambers of the annular manifolds I8, 20. VFor this lpurpose, the inner walls of the manifolds are formed with ports 29, 3l and 33 located between the dividing partitions 22. 2B and 26, the ports 29 and 3I for the manifold compartments 28 and-30 being of a width o permit simultaneous registration therewith of several ports 6B in the cylindrical extensions oi' the spherical rotor.

When the sector shaped compartments in the spherical portion of the rotor are fllled'with a reactant material lil, hydrocarbon vapors admitted through the pipe 34 to the manifold chamber 28 fiow radially into the cylindrical extension at the upper end of the rotor and thence axially through a number of sector shaped compartments 64 whose ports 66 then register with the chamber 28. At this time other compartments 64 of the rotor whose ports B6 register with the manifold chamber 30 have air passed therethrough while any rotor compartment 64 registering with the manifold chamber 32 receives steam which purges the catalyst. The various fluids pass radially into the manifold chamber at the bottom of the housing to bedischarged through the pipe connected thereto. As the rotor turns counterclockwise (Fig. 2) compartments previously in communication with the manifold chamber for vapor are moved into registration with the manifold chamber for air and subsequently register with* the steam manifold 32 before again being moved into registration Vwith the vapor chamber 28. As may be seen in Fig. 2 the inner walls of the manifolds include an imperforateportion located adjacent each of the dividing walls 22, 24, 20 which are of` a circumferential extent'sufiiciently greater than that of the arc subtended by a sector shaped rotor compartment to temporarily cutoff the iiow of any fluid therethrough so that leakage between the manifold chambers will not occur as a compartment of the rotor moves from registration with one fluid chamber of the manifold 'to another.

The reactor illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4 has a closed cylindricalrotor with fluid ports |0| formed in its side wallnear each end. The central portion of the housing |02 fits closely about the rotor but at each end the housing is provided with projecting annular chambers whose inner walls |00 contact the rotor opposite the ports |0I. The inner'wall |03 of the housing |02 is formed immediately above and below the manifold chambers with grooves to.accommodate the sections of sealing rings H2. Radial webs |04 between the inner wall |00 and the outer wall |04 of these chambers divide them into manifold compartments I04A, |00, |00 and |01 hav- 1 ing individual pipe connections |00 for fluid supply or discharge. As inthe arrangement previously described, the rotor is divided by radial partitions ||0 into a plurality of sector` shaped compartments to which fluids are supplied through the related ports |0|. The inner wall |03v of each annular chamber of the rotor is formed with ports for alinement with the rotor.

ports |00 to supply various fluids thereto. The

' portions of the wall |00 between the ports therein for the sections |04 to |01 are of greater circumv ferential extent than the width of a rotor compartment so as to prevent cross iiow'of fluids v ber into various sections are provided with flange sections |20 parallel to the rotor and of greaterv width than the rotor compartments. Each section |20 is recessed on its inner face 'to forma seat for a sealing shoe I2| 'bearing against the outer wall of the rotor |00 so as to prevent leakage of nuid from one section of the annular chamber through a rotor compartment alined therewith-into the next section ofthe annular chamber. As illustrated the sealing shoes |2| are resiliently held against the rotor wall. In this construction the manifold chambers at the ends of the` rotor need not have an inner wall :Lacasse Further, in the form of Figs. 1 and 2 the provision of the reduced necks that are formed by the cylindrical extensions of the spherical rotor also reduces the areas of sliding contact between the moving parts and thereby lessen the sealing problem because smaller circumferential sealsY which are easier to maintain may be provided.

-What we -claim is:

I. In chemical reaction apparatus adapted to contain chemically reactant material for con-f tact by iluid; a closed. hollow rotor divided by radial partitions into a plurality of compartments; a pair of valve ports for each compartment formed in the side wall of the rotor and spaced axially thereof; a stationary housing surrounding said rotor; a plurality of fluid supply contain chemically reactant material for contact as in Flg..4 and the wall |02 of the housing may v be extended outwardly to provide the outer wall |04 of the manifold chambers.

The radial i'low-of fluids to and from the rotor compartments. or, more specifically, the arrangement ofports in verticai side wall parts of the rotor and manifold is advantageous inasmuch as friction and wear, is minimizedbetween the contacting parts of the'rotor and housing that. `cooperatively function as valve elements. This by fluid: a closed, hollow rotor divided by radial partitions into a plurality of compartments; a pair of valve ports for each compartment formed in the side wall of the rotor and spaced axially thereof; a stationary housing surrounding said rotor: a'plurality of fluid supply and iiuid discharge connections at opposite ends of said housing; means including a shaft to which said -rotor is attached for turning the latter to aline said valve ports with said fluid supply and dischargeconnections in succession; radial walls intermediate .said connections extending from the inner Ywall surface of said housing to positions closely adjacent said rotor to form a plurality of fluid supply chambersin said housing; sealing means mounted between the inner end of said radial walls and said outer wall surface oi said rotor opposite the location-of said ports. saidsealing means being of greater circumferential extent than that of the rotor wall ligaments between ports therein; and means for maintaining said sealing means in contact with said rotor.

Y 3. In apparatus of the type described; a closed. hollow Yvertically disposed rotor divided interially by transverse radial partitions into aplurality of compartments: reactant material in said compartments to be contacted by fluid circulated therethrough; a pair of axially spaced ports for each compartment formed in the side wall of the rotor-adjacent the ends thereof; a

stationary housing enclosing said rotor; a plu rality of fluid supply and discharge connections at each end of said housing formed with ports facing said rotor ports: and means including a vertical Vshait to which said rotor is attached for turning the latterto aline its ports with those of said iluid supply and discharge connections in succession for causing radial iiow of fluids to and therethrough: inlet and outlet ports for each compartment` spaced axially in the outer side said compartments to be contacted by uid circulated therethrough; a pairof ports` for each compartment spaced axially in the outer side wall of said rotor; a stationary housing-enclosing said rotor; iluid supply and discharge manifolds 4spaced. about either end of said housing each having their inner walls shaped to conform to the exterior contour of the outer wall of said rotor in the region of its portsand formed with a port for alinement with one or more of said rotor ports; and means for turning said rotor to aline the port of each manifold in succession with ports of the various rotor compartments.

' PER HILMER KARLSSON.

WILLIAM D. YERRICK. 

